Chapter 44: The Jade Emperor's Arranged Marriage

That day, I said to Zhong Yang, "I think I might not love Erlang Shen anymore."

"You don't love him anymore?" Zhong Yang sent a question mark.

"I seem to love him less and less every day, and I always feel this man isn't worth my love!" As the saying goes, cold water cannot brew green tea. If someone oversteps boundaries, it must be because that man's attitude gave them the impression that crossing the line was acceptable. After all, if he isn't warm and inviting, how could green tea ever steep?

I could forgive Erlang Shen for teaching Xiaoyue magic; I knew he had been set up by others.

Yet, knowing full well that Xiaoyue had ulterior motives, he still accompanied her to enjoy the scenery and travel about. Had I not cut my official mission short and returned early, but stayed away instead, how much longer would Erlang Shen have continued playing around with her? Would he have kept at it until he completely fell in love with Xiaoyue? By that time, I probably wouldn't even know how Erlang Shen had kicked me aside!

During the several months he spent traveling and sightseeing with Xiaoyue, if he had thought of me even once, if he had considered what consequences my knowing about this would have on our relationship, he never would have continued playing around with her. He clearly had countless opportunities to put a stop to it, but he did none of them.

When I remarked that I should also have other men accompany me on trips like that, he refused to accept it under any circumstances. This proved that deep down, he actually knew how ambiguous and inappropriate such outings between a solitary man and woman were, yet he still did it! That was the reason my heart turned cold.

If a woman is to love, she must love a man who is truly worth it!

Clearly, Erlang Shen was not worth it!

Suddenly realizing that I no longer loved Erlang Shen, I felt an indescribable sense of ease and joy. To celebrate my escape from the bitter sea of love, I specially ordered a cup of bubble tea.

I was in a wonderful mood the entire day, even humming a song while taking a shower. As I buried my head in the pillow, ready to sleep a sweet dream, my body suddenly trembled. I felt my heart skip a beat with a sharp, violent thud, followed by a crisp and desperate shattering sound, like porcelain breaking into pieces all over the floor!

In a daze, I opened my eyes and instinctively placed my right hand over my chest, remembering the soul fragment Erlang Shen had left inside my body—a fragment intimately connected to Erlang Shen's true physical form.

A thought flashed fiercely through my mind: Erlang Shen's heart had shattered!

"True Lord Erlang..." The grass-head deities and maids of the Guanjiangkou Prefecture cried out in shock.

Before the gates of Guanjiangkou Prefecture, Erlang Shen stood with blood-red eyes, swaying unsteadily. Blood oozed drop by drop from his chest, staining his white battle robe. His celestial eye, located between his brows, gazed far into the distance, as if harboring endless attachments and obsessions there.

The next day, I received a voice message on WeChat from Wang Xinyue: "Help! Erlang Shen is dragging Xiaotian Hound and refusing to leave my house! He insists I help him perform a heart-to-heart soul link so he can make up with you! Damn it, I'm terrified of Xiaotian Hound..."

There are two popular origins for the saying "a dog biting Lü Dongbin." One goes back to the mortal realm when Lü Dongbin wanted to visit Immortal He Xiangu's home to discuss the Dao with her. Unfortunately, when he arrived, her front gate was tightly shut. Glancing around, he spotted a dog hole by the wall. Eager to see He Xiangu as quickly as possible, he decided to crawl through. Unexpectedly, He Xiangu kept a fierce hound, which leaped out the moment Lü Dongbin emerged from the hole and viciously bit him on the backside.

The other legend takes place in the divine realm. At that time, Lü Dongbin had knocked Yu'er off a cliff. When Yu'er's parents found her, she was at death's door. Enraged, Erlang Shen engaged in a fierce battle with Lü Dongbin and set his dog upon him. Xiaotian Hound chased Lü Dongbin all over the heavenly court, thoroughly humiliating him in front of all the immortals.

After thinking it over, I figured Erlang Shen might still have some unfinished words, so I agreed to open the soul link.

Standing beside Wang Xinyue, Erlang Shen used her voice to convey what he wanted to say: "Yu'er, I'm sorry."

Erlang Shen's eyes brimmed with sorrow. "My heart aches. After more than ten thousand years of affection, you said you didn't love me anymore and walked away. I know it's my fault for not giving you enough a sense of security. I regret it deeply; clearly, I already had the woman I loved most, yet I still acted so recklessly."

I asked the question I most wanted answered: "If Xiaoyue had agreed to the imperial marriage decree back then, would you have married her?"

Erlang Shen confessed, "The Jade Emperor's marital decree cannot be disobeyed."

"What if it weren't an imperial decree from the Jade Emperor? What if Xiaoyue also liked you—would you have married Xiaoyue and abandoned me?"

Erlang Shen replied in a low voice, "I cannot answer that question. But I do know that if I had truly married Xiaoyue, I would have suffered for a lifetime, because I could never forget you, and I would forever feel sorrow and guilt toward Yu'er."

Finally, I asked a question that had been lingering in my mind: "Who is it that you truly love the most—me or Xiaoyue?"

Erlang Shen looked at me with a steadfast gaze and said, "Do you want to hear the truth?"

I had long since prepared myself mentally, hoping only to get a definitive answer.

So I said, "The truth. It's Xiaoyue, isn't it?"

To my complete surprise, however, Erlang Shen said, "The one I love most is you."

Deep down, every man hopes to possess two women—a red rose and a white rose—while deep down, every woman hopes only to be the sole love of her partner's life.

On the second night after the heart-to-heart soul link ended, I suddenly dreamed of Xiaoyue.

Xiaoyue wore a light green dress, with a green silk ribbon tied into her intricately braided hair and a pair of emerald pendants dangling from her earlobes. She was as exquisite and pretty as ever.

From the first day I met her, she had been like those internet celebrities, always appearing before the public looking meticulously styled from every strand of hair down to the soles of her feet, which only made her feel fake.

This time, she dropped her usual facade of detachment and casual elegance, exposing a smug, triumphant expression as she said, "Yuli, you cannot defeat me. You probably didn't know, did you? When you descended to the mortal realm, I was already pregnant. It's Erlang Shen's child, oh, and the baby has already been born—a boy."

Crossing my arms, I looked at her and sneered, "Wasn't it the child of the King of Yunnan?"

Xiaoyue's expression instantly fractured, and she cried out in astonishment, "Impossible! Didn't you drink Mengpo's soup given by the Jade Emperor? How could you still remember?"

When a deity's heavenly soul descends to the mortal realm to undergo reincarnation, there is no need to drink Mengpo's soup. One only needs to seal away the memories of the divine realm; only when the heavenly soul and the primordial spirit merge once again in the future will the sealed memories gradually unlock.

Back then, I had been so deeply wounded by the affair between Erlang Shen and Xiaoyue that I took the initiative to ask the Jade Emperor for a bowl of Mengpo's soup.

The Jade Emperor had told me, "Once you drink Mengpo's soup, your mortal incarnation will completely forget everything about the divine realm. Even when your later primordial spirit merges with your heavenly soul, you will not remember, unless you mention Erlang Shen once more inside a Daoist temple—only then will Mengpo's soup be undone!"

Little did I expect that the second time I visited the Daoist temple, I would mention Erlang Shen, thereby breaking the effect of the soup.

As for the matters regarding Xiaoyue and the King of Yunnan, they were revealed to me by the primordial spirit and divine consciousness I had left behind in the divine realm.

Back then, Xiaoyue had approached and seduced Erlang Shen under the pretext of learning magic, never expecting that Erlang Shen would ultimately choose me. Unwilling to let all her efforts go to waste at the very last moment, she conceived the plan of securing an imperial marriage decree.

In the divine realm, Xiaoyue's family background could only be considered moderate, or even lower-middle class. To put it bluntly, being best friends with Xiaoyue was a condescension on my part; otherwise, given her status, she would only have been qualified to serve as my maid.

Naturally, she could never have made the Jade Emperor issue a marriage decree for her on her own. Only by finding someone powerful with enough influence to speak before the Jade Emperor could she bring about this marital arrangement.

At that time, I happened to catch the eye of the King of Yunnan, who came to my home to propose marriage. Amidst my crying, making a scene, and threatening to end my life, my father had no choice but to go to Yunnan to call off the engagement.

Seizing this opportunity, Xiaoyue took the initiative to travel to Yunnan and sought out the King of Yunnan, proposing a mutual partnership.

A piece of crystal-clear, emerald-green jade, even if only the size of a thumb, could fetch a high price outside, yet the King of Yunnan was so extravagant that he had a massive block of solid jade carved into a royal throne, placed right inside the main hall of the Yunnan Palace.

Standing in the grand hall before the King of Yunnan, the monarch sat upon that priceless jade throne.

With a slight smile, Xiaoyue said with flirtatious self-assurance, "I wish to discuss a mutually beneficial cooperation with you. I know you want to marry Yuli, but what you don't know is that Yuli and Erlang Shen have been together for a long time. Only by making Erlang Shen marry another woman will Yuli ever have a chance of marrying you."

However, the King of Yunnan was notoriously lustful. Seeing such an exquisite and beautiful woman as Xiaoyue, how could he let her go? Since she had delivered herself right to his doorstep, he simply had to taste her.

The King of Yunnan naturally saw through Xiaoyue's true motive for seeking his cooperation. Rubbing the emerald thumb ring on his hand, his lecherous eyes swept over her while his tongue traced his lower lip. "You want this king to help you secure an imperial marriage decree with Erlang Shen, but what's in it for me? You must offer this king some reward. How about this... I can ask the Jade Emperor to betroth Erlang Shen to another woman, and you shall stay behind to become my secondary consort."

Xiaoyue never imagined that the King of Yunnan not only wanted Yu'er, but wouldn't let her go either.

She had no desire for a man as ugly as the King of Yunnan, but deep down she knew he had already set his sights on her. She lacked the formidable family background and backing that Yu'er possessed; once the King of Yunnan formally proposed, her family would be powerless to refuse.

After weighing the pros and cons, Xiaoyue raised her head, locked eyes with the King of Yunnan once more, and said, "Very well, I can accompany you a few times, but I will not marry you. You must secure my marriage to Erlang Shen and not break your promise."

"This king always keeps his word." Rising from the jade throne, a wicked smile curled the corners of the King of Yunnan's mouth as he swept a large hand toward the direction of his bedchamber. "However, this king must first test whether the reward is worth it..."

The King of Yunnan's bedchamber was exceptionally vast, exuding the ostentatious wealth of a nouveau riche. The floors were covered with soft, warm, luxurious beast-skin rugs, and every step echoed with power. Beaded curtains, meticulously woven from strings of crystal-clear jade, hung before an emerald screen that stood to one side, its verdant luster reflecting every inch of the room's extravagance. A golden tripoded incense burner curled wisps of white fragrant smoke into the air, while the bed was a colossal structure carved entirely from elephant ivory, easily large enough to accommodate ten women spending a spring night with the King of Yunnan.

At this moment, gorgeous canopy curtains woven from peacock feathers hung low, veiling the romantic scenery upon the bed. The bed swayed slightly, accompanied by the King of Yunnan's somewhat heavy breathing, mixed with a hint of undeniable annoyance: "To think this king could misjudge someone—you're actually not a virgin!"

Seeing earlier that Xiaoyue possessed a refined, otherworldly beauty and a detached, ethereal temperament, even the King of Yunnan, who had spent years wandering among blossoms, was deceived by her appearance and momentarily misjudged her, assuming she was an untouched maiden.

Yet, as someone whose bedchambers were always filled with concubines and who had experienced countless women, whether someone was a virgin, a novice, or a veteran was something he could instantly tell with a brief test on the bed.

Finding out that Xiaoyue was not only not a virgin, but a seasoned player in the world of romance, the King of Yunnan's earlier disappointment at failing to make her his secondary consort instantly vanished.

So be it; such a woman was good enough to be played with as a toy, but marrying her properly required caution. It was better to leave that cuckold's hat for Erlang Shen to wear!

Since the King of Yunnan had received his reward, he naturally exerted himself fully on Xiaoyue's behalf. He was also counting on Erlang Shen marrying Xiaoyue so that Yu'er and Erlang Shen would be torn apart, allowing him to finally take Yu'er as his own royal consort.

Accordingly, he prepared a generous gift and invited Lingbao Tianzun, one of the Three Pure Ones, to approach the Jade Emperor and propose the marital betrothal for Erlang Shen.

In the Hall of Supreme Light, the Jade Emperor sat upon the dragon throne, strings of pearls hanging from his imperial crown obscuring his expression as he spoke in an inscrutable tone: "Which maiden does Upper Pure Lingbao Tianzun deem most suitable to be betrothed to Erlang Shen?"

With his flowing white beard and dark Daoist robes, Lingbao Tianzun held a Ruyi scepter and proclaimed loudly, "I have heard that the Sun Star Lord has a daughter named Lin Yueyu, of outstanding beauty and gentle, virtuous character. She is a most fitting match for Erlang Shen."

After a moment, the Jade Emperor spoke slowly from the high platform: "Let Us consider this matter."

Although the Jade Emperor had not yet issued the imperial decree betrothing Erlang Shen to Xiaoyue, the news spread like wildfire, reaching the ears of both Erlang Shen and Yuli.

Previously, Yuli had returned all the gifts Erlang Shen had given her. During this time, Erlang Shen had tried every possible means to beg Yuli to reconcile. Just as Yuli was beginning to waver, her heart softening as she prepared to forgive Erlang Shen this once, she heard the news of the Jade Emperor's betrothal decree between Erlang Shen and Xiaoyue.

It was like setting off a powder keg. She summoned Erlang Shen to meet her beneath the Heavenly Pillar on Mount Kunlun to bring their relationship to a definitive end.

The Heavenly Pillar of Mount Kunlun was the place where they had pledged their love. Erlang Shen stood tall and straight beneath the pillar, his eyes brimming with pain and guilt. The moment he saw Yu'er, he lowered his head in silence.

Yu'er drew her Zhanlie Divine Blade, pointing its sharp edge straight at Erlang Shen as she spoke with cold, ferocious wrath: "Cut the crap! Will you carve out your own heart, or shall I do it for you?"

Just a few days prior, in order to beg for Yu'er's forgiveness, Erlang Shen had even declared, "If I ever make you sad or grieving again, you can ruthlessly rip my heart right out of my chest!"

Now that the Jade Emperor was arranging a marriage for Erlang Shen, Yu'er naturally came to collect on the promise Erlang Shen had made.

Yet at this moment, Erlang Shen slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said in a voice low with shame, "Cut it out..."

Gathering spiritual energy into her right hand, Yu'er formed an invisible, razor-sharp blade and resolutely plunged it into Erlang Shen's chest. At that moment, even Erlang Shen could not help but tremble from the excruciating pain, his figure staggering until he could barely stand. Yet he gritted his teeth, swallowing all the agony in silence without uttering a word.

The hot, crimson heart was plucked out. Glancing at it, Yu'er gripped the heart and said coldly, "From this day forward, you marry Xiaoyue, and I will marry someone else. You and I are completely through!" With that, she turned and walked away without looking back, abandoning the weak and fallen Erlang Shen behind her.

Not long after, because of a fight with Lü Dongbin, Yu'er fell to the bottom of a cliff and suffered severe injuries. Before she even had a chance to properly recover, she received a recording mission and her heavenly soul descended into the mortal realm.

Meanwhile, although Xiaoyue's wish to marry Erlang Shen was about to be fulfilled, she fell into a state of unprecedented chaos because she had gotten pregnant!

Upon receiving confirmation from a trusted medical official, Xiaoyue felt an urge to bite the King of Yunnan to death piece by piece.

Impossible! She had been with so many men before, yet she had never once fallen pregnant because she had long ago hired someone to set up a fertility barrier for herself, sealing off the path of conception.

Unless!

Xiaoyue suddenly understood... It was her! How dare she betray her and secretly remove her fertility barrier behind her back!

Consequently, acting completely out of character, Xiaoyue suddenly declared that she disagreed with the marriage, feigning a refusal in order to buy time. She hoped to quietly and unknowingly abort the child before the Jade Emperor's decree could be officially issued, and only then agree to the marriage.

However, her morning sickness was far too severe; her pregnancy vomiting was so intense that several times she failed to hold it back right in front of Erlang Shen.

Having learned a lesson from the previous incident involving the Third Princess of the East China Sea, Erlang Shen began to suspect whether Xiaoyue was carrying a child and whether he was once again inexplicably being made a cuckold.

One day, a pretty young maiden sneaked into the Hall of Supreme Light to seek an audience with the Jade Emperor.

"Is this true?" The Jade Emperor gazed down with deep, wise eyes at the young maiden standing below.

The maiden who had come to report that Xiaoyue was carrying the bloodline of the King of Yunnan was none other than Xiaoyue's own elder sister.

"Your lowly subject would never dare deceive Your Majesty. My younger sister, Lin Yueyu, is indeed carrying the child of the King of Yunnan. She even intended to abort the child before agreeing to Your Majesty's marriage decree. The crime of abortion in the divine realm is grave indeed; yet she dared to deceive those above and conceal the truth, committing such an unfilial and heinous act of taking a life."

"We understand. You may return first."

"Your subject takes her leave!"

Xiaoyue's sister left the Hall of Supreme Light with light footsteps and a face full of vindictive triumph.

It was true that Xiaoyue was her biological sister, but since childhood, Xiaoyue had always loved to vie for their parents' favor while engaging in behind-the-scenes scheming with her other sisters. Full of craftiness, Xiaoyue always managed to win the affection of their parents and elders—and she could have let that pass.

What she never expected was that just last year, when she had settled on a marriage with her truly devoted boyfriend whose family background far outshone theirs—making it practically a case of the Sun Star Lord's family marrying above their station—Xiaoyue had grown jealous. Unwilling to let her elder sister make a better match than herself, Xiaoyue had quietly laid out a scheme, effortlessly seducing her sister's fiancé without raising any suspicion. The enticing methods Xiaoyue employed were so brilliant that before long, her sister's fiancé was completely hooked.

When she caught Xiaoyue and her fiancé red-handed in bed, the fiancé showed not a shred of remorse. Instead, he stood firmly by Xiaoyue's side, resolutely demanding to break off the engagement with her, having convinced himself that Xiaoyue was the true destined woman of his life.

In truth, Xiaoyue had never cared for the man at all; she had merely done it to ruin her sister's marriage. After the engagement was broken off, she naturally had no intention of staying with him.

Yet the man remained infatuated, convinced that Xiaoyue only refused to be with him because she felt guilty about his past status as her sister's fiancé, and he was more than willing to serve her like a beast of burden.